The Tragedy of Macbeth

Porter. Here's a knocking indeed! If a
man were porter of hell-gate, he should have
old turning the key.
[Knocking within]750Knock,
knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of
Beelzebub? Here's a farmer, that hanged
himself on the expectation of plenty: come in
time; have napkins enow about you; here
755you'll sweat for't.
[Knocking within]Knock,
knock! Who's there, in the other devil's
name? Faith, here's an equivocator, that could
760swear in both the scales against either scale;
who committed treason enough for God's sake,
yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come
in, equivocator.
[Knocking within]765Knock,
knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an
English tailor come hither, for stealing out of
a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may
roast your goose.
770[Knocking within]Knock,
knock; never at quiet! What are you? But
this place is too cold for hell. I'll devil-porter
it no further: I had thought to have let in
775some of all professions that go the primrose
way to the everlasting bonfire.
[Knocking within]Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.

[Opens the gate]

[Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX]

Macduff. Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed,
That you do lie so late?

Porter. 'Faith sir, we were carousing till the
second cock: and drink, sir, is a great
785provoker of three things.

Porter. Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and
urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes;
it provokes the desire, but it takes
790away the performance: therefore, much drink
may be said to be an equivocator with lechery:
it makes him, and it mars him; it sets
him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him,
and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and
795not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him
in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.

Lennox. The night has been unruly: where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say,
Lamentings heard i' the air; strange screams of death,
825And prophesying with accents terrible
Of dire combustion and confused events
New hatch'd to the woeful time: the obscure bird
Clamour'd the livelong night: some say, the earth
Was feverous and did shake.
830

Macduff. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight
With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak;
845See, and then speak yourselves.
[Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX]Awake, awake!
Ring the alarum-bell. Murder and treason!
Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake!
850Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit,
And look on death itself! up, up, and see
The great doom's image! Malcolm! Banquo!
As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites,
To countenance this horror! Ring the bell.
855

[Bell rings]

[Enter LADY MACBETH]

Lady Macbeth. What's the business,
That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley
The sleepers of the house? speak, speak!
860

Macduff. O gentle lady,
'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak:
The repetition, in a woman's ear,
Would murder as it fell.
[Enter BANQUO]865O Banquo, Banquo,
Our royal master 's murder'd!

Banquo. Too cruel any where.
870Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself,
And say it is not so.

[Re-enter MACBETH and LENNOX, with ROSS]

Macbeth. Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant,
875There 's nothing serious in mortality:
All is but toys: renown and grace is dead;
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees
Is left this vault to brag of.

Lennox. Those of his chamber, as it seem'd, had done 't:
Their hands and faces were an badged with blood;
So were their daggers, which unwiped we found
Upon their pillows:
890They stared, and were distracted; no man's life
Was to be trusted with them.

Macbeth. Who can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious,
Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man:
The expedition my violent love
Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood;
900And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature
For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers,
Steep'd in the colours of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breech'd with gore: who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
905Courage to make 's love known?

Malcolm. [Aside to DONALBAIN] Why do we hold our tongues,
That most may claim this argument for ours?
910

Donalbain. [Aside to MALCOLM] What should be spoken here,
where our fate,
Hid in an auger-hole, may rush, and seize us?
Let 's away;
Our tears are not yet brew'd.
915

Malcolm. [Aside to DONALBAIN] Nor our strong sorrow
Upon the foot of motion.

Banquo. Look to the lady:
[LADY MACBETH is carried out]And when we have our naked frailties hid,
920That suffer in exposure, let us meet,
And question this most bloody piece of work,
To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us:
In the great hand of God I stand; and thence
Against the undivulged pretence I fight
925Of treasonous malice.

Malcolm. What will you do? Let's not consort with them:
To show an unfelt sorrow is an office
Which the false man does easy. I'll to England.
935

Donalbain. To Ireland, I; our separated fortune
Shall keep us both the safer: where we are,
There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood,
The nearer bloody.

Malcolm. This murderous shaft that's shot
940Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way
Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse;
And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away: there's warrant in that theft
Which steals itself, when there's no mercy left.
945